Work Overview

'Lai' is a medieval word for a specific song form, or simply,
melody.
The chorale melody 'By the waters of Babylon' is a slow cantus
firmus through most of the piece, the strophic structure of which
is loosely modelled on Bach's organ prelude on this melody. The
music also incorporates songs and calls of birds local to Sydney
(currawong, magpie, blackbird, pied butcher bird and bell bird).